Dutch city uses penis fountain to rebel against art project

When the Dutch city of Leeuwarden commissioned 11 fountains by modern artists to celebrate being made European capital of culture 2018, it probably didn’t expect such stiff opposition.

Internationally renowned sculptors – including the British artists Cornelia Parker and Lucy Orta – each designed a fountain for one of 11 cities in the province of Friesland. For the city of Workum, Parker took her inspiration from a pair of lions on a 17th-century coat of arms, designing two huge replicas, with water spouting from their claws.

But a group of local artists were not happy with what they saw as the elitist imposition of outside art on their small city. Their response? A crowdfunded 7.5-metre (25ft) fountain adorned with more than 220 wooden penises. Inside is a public toilet. When you flush, the penises start to squirt.

Love, by Jaume Plensa. A cloud of water will spray around the heads, apparently inspired by the mist above the Frisian fields early in the morning. Photograph: Jacob van Essen/Hoge Noorden/11fountains

Henk de Boer, the artist behind the penis fountain, says he decided on a phallic design from the Dutch expression Jan Lul, used to describe someone who is excluded, and which roughly translates to “John Willy”. Besides, the penis is “the quintessential fountain”, he says.

“What we are protesting against is that these fountains have been imposed on us,” he says. “The theme of the celebration of Leeuwarden capital of culture is ‘community’, so it’s ironic that the Frisian population was not involved in the decision-making and that no Frisian artist has been asked to design a fountain. It’s like you are talking with a group of friends and suddenly an enormous stranger steps in and takes over the conversation.”

Parker’s lions sparked other protests in Workum. Residents who lived close by were afraid the lions would interfere too much with their living space, so a different location was chosen. Others thought the fountain too expensive, or claimed there was no connection between the lions and the city. They proposed a fountain in the shape of a porridge spoon, as the inhabitants of Workum are traditionally known as “porridge eaters”.

Of course, everywhere there are people who are not amused by a penis fountain. But this way everybody in Friesland will have one

“It has been really tough on Cornelia,” says Anna Tilroe, curator of the 11Fountains project. “During her first presentation in Workum, her idea was heavily criticised by a group of residents. I was sitting next to her as the curator of the project and I thought: ‘Oh my God.’ But she parried the criticism with good humour. She remained quite unperturbed, and that made an impression. Cornelia Parker is an artist with a great sense of British humour. She immediately saw what fun these crazy lions are. And that’s what they are – fun.”

The penis fountain is built around a public toilet – and squirts when a user flushes. Photograph: Gebruiker/De Paupers

Tilroe insists local people have been involved in the project. And gradually the critical noises in Workum have waned, partly thanks to the efforts of local artist Floor van der Leun, who collaborated with Parker on the fountain.

Van der Leun organised open days in her workshop to explain the project. “That generated a lot of goodwill in the city,” she says. “The protests against the fountain have touched me deeply. I thought it was so sad that these people couldn’t see that a fountain designed by a remarkable artist can bring them something valuable.”

Another of the sculptures, by Mark Dion in the town of Stavoren. Photograph: Jacob van Essen/Hoge Noorden/11fountains

Meanwhile, De Boer is planning to tour several other Frisian cities and villages with his portable penis fountain and an open air theatre production with local collective the Paupers, which ridicules the Dutch art scene.

Whether his artwork will generate enthusiasm on its tour remains to be seen. “Of course, everywhere there are people who are not amused by a penis fountain,” he says. “But this way everybody in Friesland will have a fountain, albeit for a short time.”

When the 11Fountains projectopens today, De Boer’s penis fountain will be part of the official programme – and capital of culture organisers even chipped in with a €10,000 (£8,740) donation. “It’s easy to be critical, but in Workum they really created something,” says spokesman Radboud Droog. “They’ve shown a good sense of humour. We can appreciate that.”